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Kishkindha Kaanda - Sarga 18
Vāli argued, in the previous Sarga, that he could not see a reason why Rāma would shoot him.
In this Sarga, Rāma gives the reason. Rāma’s response, in essence, has two main points and three supplementary points.
Main points:
1) Rāma is not acting on his own or for his own benefit. He just happens to be an agent of Bharata, who vowed to protect the Dharma that has been honored by time and passed on from generation to generation.
2) Vāli offended Dharma by failing to treat his younger brother as his own son and by engaging in lustful activity with his brother’s wife. For these reasons, he deserves to be punished.
Supplementary points:
1) If Vāli is punished, Vāli will be relieved of his sin. If he is not killed, it amounts to Rāma and Bharata failing to deliver justice, and would have to assume the consequences of Vāli’s sin.
2) Killing Vāli, while he is engaged in a duel with Sugreeva, is in line with the practice of killing animals, regardless of the state in which the animal is.
3) Killing an animal, even without interest in the skin, bones, meat or hair of the animal is in accordance with the practice of hunting.
Rāma does not say this, but it goes without saying that the possibility of Rāma taking the help of Vāli to retrieve Seetā from Rāvaṇa is completely out of the question, as it would mean an unholy alliance with a sinner based purely on convenience.
4.18.1 இத்யுக்த: ப்ரஸ்ரிதம் வாக்யம்
தர்மார்தஸஹிதம் ஹிதம் ।
பருஷம் வாலிநா ராமோ
நிஹதேந விசேதஸா ॥
ityuktaḥ praṡritaṃ vākyam
dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam ।
paruṣaṃ vālinā rāmō
nihatēna vicētasā ॥
Rāma was thus addressed in harsh
but reasonable and meaningful words
in a humble manner by Vāli who
lay dazed, struck (by the arrow).
4.18.2-3 தம் நிஷ்ப்ரபமிவாதித்யம்
முக்ததோயமிவாம்புதம் ।
உக்தவாக்யம் ஹரிஸ்ரேஷ்டம்
உபஸாந்தமிவாநலம் ।
தர்மார்தகுணஸம்பந்நம்
ஹரீஸ்வரமநுத்தமம் ।
அதிக்ஷிப்தஸ்ததா ராம:
பஸ்சாத்வாலிநமப்ரவீத் ॥
taṃ niṣprabhamivādityam
muktatōyamivāmbudam ।
uktavākyaṃ hariṡrēṣṭham
upaṡāntamivānalam ।
dharmārthaguṇasampannam
harīṡvaramanuttamam ।
adhikṣiptastadā rāmaḥ
paṡcādvālinamabravīt ॥
Accused and taunted in words that
seemed just and meaningful by Vāli,
the best and unequalled lord of the Vānaras,
who lay like the sun devoid of luster,
like the cloud emptied of its moisture
and fire that has died down,
Rāma, then, said these words:
4.18.4 தர்மமர்தம் ச காமம் ச
ஸமயம் சாபி லௌகிகம் ।
அவிஜ்ஞாய கதம் பால்யாத்
மாமிஹாத்ய விகர்ஹஸே ॥
dharmamarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca
samayaṃ cāpi laukikam ।
avijñāya kathaṃ bālyāt
māmihādya vigarhasē ॥
Why do you accuse me,
being the immature one you are,
without knowing the principles of
Dharma, Artha and Kāma or the
maxims of worldly prudence?
4.18.5 அப்ருஷ்ட்வா புத்திஸம்பந்நாந்
வ்ருத்தாநாசார்யஸம்மதாந் ।
ஸௌம்ய வாநரசாபல்யாத்
கிம் மாவக்துமிஹேச்சஸி ॥
apṛṣṭvā buddhisampannān
vṛddhānācāryasammatān ।
saumya vānaracāpalyāt
kiṃ māvaktumihēcchasi ॥
My dear! Without checking with
people of wisdom, who are mature
and people who enjoy the esteem of teachers,
why do you speak like this to me,
true to the frivolous nature of a Vānara?
4.18.6 இக்ஷ்வாகூணாமியம் பூமி:
ஸஸைலவநகாநநா ।
ம்ருகபக்ஷிமநுஷ்யாணாம்
நிக்ரஹாநுக்ரஹேஷ்வபி ॥
ikṣvākūṇāmiyaṃ bhūmiḥ
saṡailavanakānanā ।
mṛgapakṣimanuṣyāṇām
nigrahānugrahēṣvapi ॥
This entire earth, along with
the mountains, Vanas, forests,
animals, birds and humans, thrives
by the grace and under the control of Ikshwākus.
4.18.7 தாம் பாலயதி தர்மாத்மா
பரதஸ்ஸத்யவாக்ருஜு: ।
தர்மகாமார்ததத்த்வஜ்ஞோ
நிக்ரஹாநுக்ரஹே ரத: ॥
tāṃ pālayati dharmātmā
bharatassatyavāgṛjuḥ ।
dharmakāmārthatattvajñō
nigrahānugrahē rataḥ ॥
It is under the rule of Bharata, the Dharmātma,
who is honest, true to his word,
fully conversant with Dharma, Artha and Kāma
and completely vested in
showering grace as well as in exercising control.
4.18.8 நயஸ்ச விநயஸ்சோபௌ
யஸ்மிந்ஸத்யம் ச ஸுஸ்திதம் ।
விக்ரமஸ்ச யதா த்ருஷ்ட:
ஸ ராஜா தேஸகாலவித் ॥
nayaṡca vinayaṡcōbhau
yasminsatyaṃ ca susthitam ।
vikramaṡca yathā dṛṣṭaḥ
sa rājā dēṡakālavit ॥
He is a king who stands
up to all the expectations,
in his valor and grasp of
situations and circumstances,
firmly established in truth,
humility and principles of polity.
4.18.9 தஸ்ய தர்மக்ருதாதேஸா
வயமந்யே ச பார்திவா: ।
சராமோ வஸுதாம் க்ருத்ஸ்நாம்
தர்மஸந்தாநமிச்சவ: ॥
tasya dharmakṛtādēṡā
vayamanyē ca pārthivāḥ ।
carāmō vasudhāṃ kṛtsnām
dharmasantānamicchavaḥ ॥
We, and other rulers of the earth,
committed to the advancement of Dharma,
go around the entire earth
in accordance with the orders
given by him, to uphold Dharma.
4.18.10 தஸ்மிந்ந்ருபதிஸார்தூலே
பரதே தர்மவத்ஸலே ।
பாலயத்யகிலாம் பூமிம்
கஸ்சரேத்தர்மவிப்ரியம் ॥
tasminnṛpatiṡārdūlē
bharatē dharmavatsalē ।
pālayatyakhilāṃ bhūmim
kaṡcarēddharmavipriyam ॥
When he, Bharata, a tiger among kings,
who protects Dharma as if it were his own child,
rules this entire earth,
who can dare violate Dharma?
4.18.11 தே வயம் தர்மவிப்ரஷ்டம்
ஸ்வதர்மே பரமே ஸ்திதா: ।
பரதாஜ்ஞாம் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய
நிக்ருஹ்ணீமோ யதாவிதி ॥
tē vayaṃ dharmavibhraṣṭam
svadharmē paramē sthitāḥ ।
bharatājñāṃ puraskṛtya
nigṛhṇīmō yathāvidhi ॥
We, following the orders of Bharata and
standing true to our responsibilities,
restrain those who disrupt Dharma,
in the proper manner.
4.18.12 த்வம் து ஸம்க்லிஷ்டதர்மா ச
கர்மணா ச விகர்ஹித: ।
காமதந்த்ரப்ரதாநஸ்ச
ந ஸ்திதோ ராஜவர்த்மநி ॥
tvaṃ tu saṃkliṣṭadharmā ca
karmaṇā ca vigarhitaḥ ।
kāmatantrapradhānaṡca
na sthitō rājavartmani ॥
You have fouled Dharma, committing reproachable deeds,
making the quenching of your lust a priority
divorcing the responsibilities of a king.
4.18.13 ஜ்யேஷ்டோ ப்ராதா பிதா சைவ
யஸ்ச வித்யாம் ப்ரயச்சதி ।
த்ரயஸ்தே பிதரோ ஜ்ஞேயா
தர்மே ச பதி வர்திந: ॥
jyēṣṭhō bhrātā pitā caiva
yaṡca vidyāṃ prayacchati ।
trayastē pitarō jñēyā
dharmē ca pathi vartinaḥ ॥
The elder brother, the father,
and the preceptor who imparts knowledge,
are all regarded like a father
by one who follows the path of Dharma.
4.18.14 யவீயாநாத்மந: புத்ர:
ஸிஷ்யஸ்சாபி குணோதித: ।
புத்ரவத்தே த்ரயஸ்சிந்த்யா
தர்மஸ்சேதத்ரகாரணம் ॥
yavīyānātmanaḥ putraḥ
ṡiṣyaṡcāpi guṇōditaḥ ।
putravattē trayaṡcintyā
dharmaṡcēdatrakāraṇam ॥
One should look upon these three,
the younger brother, own son
and a Ṡishya of good qualities,
as one’s own son, because Dharma demands so.
4.18.15 ஸூக்ஷ்ம: பரமதுர்ஜ்ஞேய:
ஸதாம் தர்ம: ப்லவங்கம ।
ஹ்ருதிஸ்தஸ்ஸர்வபூதாநாம்
ஆத்மா வேத ஸுபாஸுபம் ॥
sūkṣmaḥ paramadurjñēyaḥ
satāṃ dharmaḥ plavaṅgama ।
hṛdisthassarvabhūtānām
ātmā vēda ṡubhāṡubham ॥
O Vānara! The nuances of Dharma followed
by noble men are very difficult to fathom;
But, deep inside, there is a core in every being
that knows right from wrong.
4.18.16 சபலஸ்சபலைஸ்ஸார்தம்
வாநரைரக்ருதாத்மபி: ।
ஜாத்யந்த இவ ஜாத்யந்தை:
மந்த்ரயந் ப்ரேக்ஷஸே நு கிம் ॥
capalaṡcapalaissārdham
vānarairakṛtātmabhiḥ ।
jātyandha iva jātyandhaiḥ
mantrayan prēkṣasē nu kim ॥
How can you, a fickle-minded Vānara see anything clearly,
conferring with other Vānaras who are also
fickle, having never mastered the mind?
Can one born blind be able to see
by conferring with others who are also born blind?
4.18.17 அஹம் து வ்யக்ததாமஸ்ய
வசநஸ்ய ப்ரவீமி தே ।
ந ஹி மாம் கேவலம் ரோஷாத்
த்வம் விகர்ஹிதுமர்ஹஸி ॥
ahaṃ tu vyaktatāmasya
vacanasya bravīmi tē ।
na hi māṃ kēvalaṃ rōṣāt
tvaṃ vigarhitumarhasi ॥
Let me explain clearly what
I mean by these words I have spoken.
Do not rebuke me, driven
by anger and resentment alone.
4.18.18 ததேதத்காரணம் பஸ்ய
யதர்தம் த்வம் மயா ஹத: ।
ப்ராதுர்வர்தஸி பார்யாயாம்
த்யக்த்வா தர்மம் ஸநாதநம் ॥
tadētatkāraṇaṃ paṡya
yadarthaṃ tvaṃ mayā hataḥ ।
bhrāturvartasi bhāryāyām
tyaktvā dharmaṃ sanātanam ॥
This is the reason that you must see
because of which you were killed by me:
You have indulged in your brother’s wife,
giving up the age-old Dharma.
4.18.19 அஸ்ய த்வம் தரமாணஸ்ய
ஸுக்ரீவஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
ருமாயாம் வர்தஸே காமாத்
ஸ்நுஷாயாம் பாபகர்மக்ருத் ॥
asya tvaṃ dharamāṇasya
sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ ।
rumāyāṃ vartasē kāmāt
snuṣāyāṃ pāpakarmakṛt ॥
You have, out of lust, indulged with Rumā,
while this Mahātma Sugreeva is well and alive,
committing the sin equal to that of
indulging in with a daughter-in-law.
4.18.20 தத்வ்யதீதஸ்ய தே தர்மாம்
காமவ்ருத்தஸ்ய வாநர ।
ப்ராத்ருபார்யாபிமர்ஸேऽஸ்மிந்
தண்டோऽயம் ப்ரதிபாதித: ॥
tadvyatītasya tē dharmām
kāmavṛttasya vānara ।
bhrātṛbhāryābhimarṡē'smin
daṇḍō'yaṃ pratipāditaḥ ॥
O Vānara! You have been given this punishment
for crossing dharma and indulging in your fancies
by touching your brother’s wife!
4.18.21 ந ஹி தர்மவிருத்தஸ்ய
லோகவ்ருத்தாதபேயுஷ: ।
தண்டாதந்யத்ர பஸ்யாமி
நிக்ரஹம் ஹரியூதப ॥
na hi dharmaviruddhasya
lōkavṛttādapēyuṣaḥ ।
daṇḍādanyatra paṡyāmi
nigrahaṃ hariyūthapa ॥
O chief of Vānaras! I do not see
any other way of dealing with
anyone who is against Dharma
and has distanced oneself
from the norms of the society,
than giving a (deserving) punishment.
To be Continued